Even at our worst, we’re still good

Here is another article from those I wrote during my internships that started at 6am, truly tough times don’t last but tough people do. (Read about the internship here, and another of these articles here) I hope this motivates someone to dust themselves off and try again. It’s not finished yet. Sometimes when you fall down, you aren’t meant to get up, you’re meant to see something on the floor that you wouldn’t have seen while standing up. Take advantage of whichever situation you are in. Enjoy reading this, I know I did after soo many years…

I recently visited the packaging division of a steel workshop and I couldn’t help but notice that at one corner the coils were grouped into 3 different groups. My inquisitive self went to the head of that division and asked why the coils were separated and he went on to explain the different grades of steel that were there: the 1A the very best, made specifically for the client awaiting to be picked; then 2A was very good steel but had never been picked by the intended client that ordered for it but could be bought by someone else that needed the same; and finally the rusty 3A the client had never come for them and almost no one wanted them. He went on to explain that there are some people who come and buy the 3A steel and try to make the best of them. Another option for the 3A steel would be going back for melting to make something completely new.

Sometimes in life we feel like the 3A steel, left at one corner and no one wants to associate with us or if you’re in business, it’s the time you get no offers or deals and you think this is the end of the road for you, your business and life. But just like the 3A steel, there’s still hope for you. Take time to reflect and decide whether you need to cut off the rusty bits or go back to the oven for remodelling. Identify whether your problem is a few bad habits you picked up that you need to kill or if you have transformed into a being that requires remodelling. Old habits die hard but at least they die, don’t expect your decision to turn you into someone new by the time you’re done with your thoughts, it will take time and a lot of backsliding but you have to reposition yourself and continue with the fight.

Maybe it’s in your personal life or in your professional life where you feel like you have hit a dead end, but the key is to always dust yourself off and start a fresh. You may be required to start from scratch but if you were able to get here last time, then it shouldn’t be too hard to get here again and this time faster cause you will have learnt from the mistakes you made last time and repositioned yourself better. Believe in yourself and your ability, what you think about yourself is what matters most. On that I also remind you that you can not influence people’s thoughts or reactions, you only have power over your own so take advantage of this power.

It’s not easy, it really isn’t but if you know why and for whom you are doing it then every effort is worth it. Failing doesn’t make you a looser; not learning from your mistakes and your failures is what makes you a looser. Winner never quit and losers never win. Don’t be afraid to lose; only top achievers know the advantages of losing once in a while.